Congressman Alfred Ely to his daughter "All the folks here ask often about you"

Description

A LONELY CONGRESSMAN ALFRED ELY WRITES TO HIS YOUNG DAUGHTER:
“ALL THE FOLKS HERE ASK OFTEN ABOUT YOU AND THEY ALL SEEM TO HAVE A VERY HIGH APPRECIATION OF YOU AND TO HAVE FORMED A VERY GREAT FONDNESS FOR YOU…YOU MOST WANT TO RETURN TO WASHINGTON TO SEE ME – GO DRIVING TO THE SOLDIERS HOME, INSANE ASYLUM, ARLINGTON HOUSE, FORT ALBANY AND ALL THE OTHER PLEASANT DRIVES WE TOOK”
ALFRED ELY
(1815-1892).  Ely was a Congressman from New York.  He watched the First Battle of Bull Run and was captured by Confederate forces; he spent six months in Richmond’s Libby Prison until he was exchanged for the arrested Confederate minister Charles Faulkner.
ALS. 4pg. 5” x 8”. September 1, 1863. Washington Arsenal.  A lengthy autograph letter signed
“
Dear Father
”
on
“Assistant Quarter-Master’s Office”
letterhead.  He wrote to his daughter:
“It is now a little more than thirty days since you and dear mother left Washington I have been very lonely without you and you can hardly imagine how much pleasure it would give me to see you.  You made a long visit in Orange and had a great deal of gayitie
[sic]
and a very grand time in going to parties and dancing and riding and doing many other pleasant things.  Of course you were very happy and I hope you was so lady like and agreeable that every body was pleased with all you said & did.  You may be very certain if you do anything in the least improper, I shall know all about it and therefore I want you should behave yourself in the best manner all the time, and especially do I expect you to be good and kind and obedient to dear Mother, for if you are not you will make me very unhappy, and that I know you will try not to do.  Cata has gone to school.  Her mother & aunt took her to Penn. and she will not return till next summer.  Duda will leave tomorrow.  They are going to live in a little house at the Hospital so we shall have no little girls at Mrs. Holeands.  All the folks here ask often about you and they all seem to have a very high appreciation of you and to have formed a very great fondness for you, and I trust most sincerely that always hereafter your good behavior will fully justify their favorable opinion.  How happy you must be to get to Haverhill again, with all your friends you love so much and how delighted they are to see you and I am almost afraid that they will do so much to make you happy you most want to return to Washington to see me – go driving to the Soldiers Home, Insane Asylum, Arlington House, Fort Albany and all the other pleasant drives we took.  Do you think you shall want to come back again?  I want you should read and spell a little to dear mother very often.  So that when you return to Washington you can read all your pretty books to me.  You must also go to Sunday School and learn to sing and learn good lessons with the other little children.  When you come back here, I shall have you go to Sunday school every Sunday.  You must be a good girl and do all you can to comfort and make dear mother happy.  You are all the one she can depend on now.  Tell dear Mother I feel very lonely without her and you and shall want your back pretty soon.  Give her a great many sweet kisses for me & I send a great many to any dear little daughter also.  Good bye with love from
dear Father
”
.  The
“Washington Arsenal”
letterhead is unusual; it is where the four Lincoln assassination conspirators were held and hanged.  Today, it is known as Fort McNair.  The letter has light water staining that smears some ink; it is in very good condition.
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